The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Physocarpus, or ninebark, that is grown for use as an ornamental landscape plant. It is known botanically as Physocarpus opulifolius and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Lady in Red’.
‘Lady in Red’ was discovered at the inventor's nursery in Norfolk, United Kingdom, in a batch of seedlings grown from seed collected by the inventor from Physocarpus opulifolius cultivar ‘Monlo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,211) and sown in 2000.
‘Lady in Red’ was selected from the resulting population of seedlings or its distinguishing combination of red leaves and pink flowers. The closest cultivars known to the inventor are ‘Monlo’ and ‘Diable d'Or’ (unpatented), but both of those have creamy-white flowers. In addition, the emerging foliage of ‘Diable d'Or’ is amber in color compared to the red of ‘Lady in Red’.
Asexual reproduction of ‘Lady in Red’ was first accomplished by the inventor in 2001, at the inventor's nursery in Norfolk, United Kingdom. The method of asexual propagation used was stem cuttings. Since that time the characteristics of the new cultivar have been determined stable and to be reproduced true to type in successive generations of vegetative propagation.